While libraries notched notable victories in 2022, some failed measures reflect broader cultural and economic shifts. One alarming trend: Organized groups of politically driven voters who oppose libraries carrying materials written by, about, and for LBGTQ people are banding together to reject levies that fund libraries—and fighting to get referenda on the ballot that defunds … Continue reading Referenda Roundup 2022: Final Report
Holly Ritchie, director of Manassas Park (Va.) City Library, said the bulk of funding for a new building scheduled to open in August came from the municipal budget, which required public hearings and opportunities for feedback from city residents. “These are a perfect opportunity for your supporters to show their support,” she said. Ritchie also … Continue reading Facility Funding Options
Why was this disappointing for libraries? The final budget agreement between the administration and US House and Senate leadership unfortunately resulted in funding significantly below levels originally proposed by Congress. (See ALA’s FY2022 federal funding for libraries chart.) This was the case not only for many library programs but for most other domestic programs as … Continue reading Funding Closes Below Expectations for Libraries
The pandemic threw the issue of unequal access to technology into sharp relief. Multiple funding bills have been proposed in the past few years—many with similar names—to alleviate this imbalance. However, staying on top of which bills have passed, what funding is available for libraries, and how librarians can get that funding can be a … Continue reading The 411 on Funding
1: Create a workflow When a team wants to submit a grant proposal, it should first ask this question: Do we know the review and approval steps and authorities within our organization who are required to sign off on the proposal prior to submission? If the answer is no, then ascertaining this information will be … Continue reading Creating Fundable Grant Proposals
Wong’s election makes ALA history At the conclusion of the 2021 Annual Conference Virtual, Patricia “Patty” M. Wong began her term as the first Asian American to serve as ALA president. The American Rescue Plan Act and libraries When President Biden signed into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 on March … Continue reading 2021 Year in Review
Signed into law by President Joe Biden on November 15, 2021, IIJA includes a historic investment in advancing digital equity and an opportunity for libraries to leverage and expand their roles in that work. The Digital Equity Act (DEA), a provision within IIJA, includes a federal investment of $2.75 billion over five years to promote … Continue reading What Libraries Need to Know about the Digital Equity Act
ALASKA In October Juneau voted 6,580–1,786 in favor of renewing the city’s 3% temporary sales tax for five years. A portion of the approved tax goes toward supporting libraries. ARKANSAS On November 9 Little Rock approved a library levy increase from 3.3 to 3.8 mills by a vote of 4,842–1,973. The increase represents the first … Continue reading Referenda Roundup 2021: Final Report
Since the Policy Corps’ founding in 2018, members have been active on a range of issues that have increased their expertise and networks while expanding ALA’s policy advocacy reach. As ALA begins to accept applications for its fourth cohort, here’s an update on members’ recent activities. School library funding When the American Rescue Plan Act … Continue reading Catching Up with ALA Policy Corps
Libraries notched many wins in 2021: In Illinois, the state’s April 6 election saw four of five ballot measures passing. To many library workers’ relief, a threatened reduction in Ohio’s support for public libraries—from 1.7% to 1.66% of the general fund—did not make it into the final version of the state’s budget. In addition, all … Continue reading Referenda Roundup 2021
In September 2020, the American Library Association’s (ALA) Public Programs Office announced it would provide nearly $2 million in grants to small and rural libraries of all types to help them address pressing concerns in their communities. Through this Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Focus on Small and Rural Libraries grant program, more than 600 libraries … Continue reading Conversations Creating Change
Sessions underscored that stories—of individuals, of libraries, of communities—are at the core of library advocacy. “It’s really all about storytelling,” observed Beth Nawalinski, executive director of United for Libraries, during the conference. Representation in collections At “Auditing Diversity in Library Collections,” Sarah Voels, community engagement librarian at Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Public Library (CRPL), described the … Continue reading Advocacy through Storytelling
